Chavez Picks Generals to Help Beat Venezuela Strike

abcnews.go.com — By Pascal Fletcher

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Sunday named a new interior minister and head of the army, placing loyal generals in key posts as he fought to beat a 49-day-old opposition strike that has strangled vital oil exports.

Chavez, who has purged the armed forces of opponents since surviving a short-lived coup in April, said his government would use "everything we've got" to try to defeat the strike launched by opposition leaders, who are pressing him to resign and hold early elections.

"Those who are trying to get rid of me by force, through a military coup or an economic coup, or by creating chaos, are not going to succeed," Chavez declared during his weekly "Hello President" television and radio show.

He vowed that his government would use military raids against striking private businesses if necessary.

The strike, which enters its eighth week Monday, has crippled oil production and shipments in the world's No. 5 petroleum exporter. It has also caused serious shortages of gasoline, cooking gas and some food items, sparking looting in some provincial towns and villages.

Chavez named Gen. Lucas Rincon, a former defense minister and ex-armed forces chief, as interior minister and Gen. Jorge Garcia Carneiro, as the new chief of the army -- the most powerful branch of the armed forces -- replacing Gen. Julio Garcia, who had held the post since the April coup.

Both generals are close allies of Chavez, himself a former army officer, who has increasingly used the armed forces to counter the strike.

OUTRAGE AT RAIDS

In a move that drew howls of outrage from Chavez's foes, National Guard troops on Friday broke into two private drinks manufacturing facilities. One was a local bottling affiliate of Coca-Cola Co. and the other a storage plant belonging to Venezuela's biggest private firm, Empresas Polar.

The soldiers seized truckloads of soft drinks, water and beer and took them away for distribution to the population.

Chavez said some private manufacturers were breaking the law by hoarding products to support the strike and vowed he would not hesitate to act against them.

Opposition leaders said the military raids were an unlawful attack against private property and only confirmed accusations that Chavez was trying to introduce Cuba-style communism.

The president blasted his opponents as "oligarchic elites" opposed to his rule, which he says is aimed at helping Venezuela's poor majority and promoting social equality.

Chavez has also sent troops to take over and restart strike-hit state oil fields, refineries and export ports.

But Venezuela's oil production, refining and exports are still well below normal levels. The strike has jolted world oil markets and cut off exports to the United States, which normally imports over 13 percent of its oil from Venezuela.

Condemning opposition strike leaders as "terrorists and coup mongers," Chavez has refused to negotiate with them. He said on Saturday his government was considering withdrawing from ongoing talks with the opposition brokered by Organization of American States Secretary General Cesar Gaviria.

Chevez's threats have raised doubts about the future of the peace negotiations, which have been going on for two months without any sign of agreement on the key issue of elections.